Frequently asked questions
Here you'll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Nederland Postcode API.
- What does the Nederland Postcode API do?
- With the Nederland Postcode API you can easily look up addresses based on Dutch postcodes and house numbers. This is ideal for address validation, automatically filling in forms and improving the user experience on your website or application.
- Can I use the API for free?
- Yes. With a free account you can use the API at no cost to test and integrate. Once everything works, you can switch to a paid subscription.
- What are projects?
- Projects help you structure your API usage. You can create a separate project per website or application, so usage and statistics are tracked clearly per project.
- What is an API key?
- An API key is a unique code that gives you access to the Nederland Postcode API. The API key is linked to your account and project and is used to authenticate and register API requests.
- Can I create multiple API keys per project?
- Yes, you can create multiple API keys per project. This is useful when, for example, you want to use separate API keys for test, staging and production environments or for multiple developers.
- What is the difference between a test and live API key?
- With a test API key you can try the API for free. A live API key is linked to a paid subscription and intended for production use. The test API key gives the same structure and response, but only works for postcodes starting with 1012, 1015 or 1118. Try for example 1118BN with house number 800. You can find more example addresses in the documentation.
- What is the rate limit of the API?
- Each API key has its own rate limit, depending on the chosen subscription. This is expressed in the number of requests per second or minute. If you exceed it, you receive an error with status code 429 (Too Many Requests). After a short wait you can make new requests again.
- Cancel a subscription?
- You can cancel your subscription at any time via your account settings. After cancellation you keep access to the paid features until the end of the current billing period.
- Which payment methods are supported?
- For payments we use Mollie. Supported payment methods are iDEAL, credit card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) and automatic SEPA Direct Debit.
- What if I lost my API key?
- On the project page you can easily generate a new API key. You can also revoke old API keys there so they can no longer be used.
- Where do I find my test API key?
- When you create a project, a test API key is automatically generated for you.
- Where can I see my usage?
- On the project overview page you see the total number of API calls and the current usage per endpoint for each project.
- Where does the data come from?
- The data comes from official sources such as the Kadaster, the Basisregistratie Adressen en Gebouwen (BAG) and the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS).
- How up to date are the addresses?
- The address data is updated monthly with the latest data from the BAG of the Kadaster. The energy labels are updated daily.
- Are business addresses supported?
- Yes, the Nederland Postcode API supports both residential and business addresses.
- Can I download the postcode database?
- Yes, instead of the API you can also download the full postcode database to use it offline or import it into your own system.
- What is the uptime of the API?
- The API has an uptime of 99.99%. We monitor the service continuously and schedule maintenance outside office hours as much as possible to minimize impact for users.
- What is the response time of the API?
- The response time of an API call is usually around 50 milliseconds, depending on the server load and endpoint.
- Which API endpoint should I use?
- You can use the endpoint https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v1/address to look up addresses. A postcode and house number are required, the house number addition is optional.
- Look up an energy label via the API?
- You can use the endpoint https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v2/energy-label to retrieve the current and historical energy labels of an address. A postcode and house number are required, the house number addition is optional. To retrieve the energy labels of an entire street or a range of house numbers at once, use https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v1/energy-label-range. To retrieve the energy labels of all addresses within a radius around a location, use https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v1/energy-label-radius.
- How often are the energy labels updated?
- The energy labels are updated daily to guarantee the most current information. Using the full dataset and the daily mutations, we make sure the data stays up to date.
- Do I also get the coordinates of an address?
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You can use the endpoint https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v1/address to retrieve the coordinates of an address by adding
attributes[]=coordinatesto your API request. - Can I also request the name of the district?
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You can use the endpoint https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v1/address to retrieve the name of the district by adding
attributes[]=districtto your API request. - Can I also request the name of the neighborhood?
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You can use the endpoint https://api.nederlandpostcode.nl/v1/address to retrieve the name of the neighborhood by adding
attributes[]=neighborhoodto your API request. The neighborhood is the most detailed level within a municipality; each district consists of one or more neighborhoods. - Why do I get multiple results back for an address?
- Searching with only a postcode and house number can return multiple results. By adding a house number addition you get a specific result. For apartments or multi-tenant buildings, multiple addresses can share the same house number (for example 10A, 10B, etc.).
- The postcode exists but I get no results, how is that possible?
- If you get a 403 error, you are probably using a test API key. Test API keys only work for postcodes starting with 1012, 1015 or 1118. If you get a 200 status with an empty list using a live API key, the combination of postcode, house number and addition does not exist.
- What if I (almost) reach my limit?
- When you reach 80%, 90% and 100% of your monthly limit, you automatically receive an email notification. This gives you enough time to check your usage or adjust your subscription. At 100%, new API requests are rejected until the start of next month. You never pay extra for requests above your limit.
- Can I also use the database offline?
- You can validate addresses via our API, but you can also download the entire database with more than 10 million addresses to use it offline or import it into your own system.
- Is there also a PHP package available?
- Yes, we offer a PHP package that we use ourselves too. You can find it on GitHub.
- Is there also a Laravel package available?
- Yes, we offer a Laravel package that we use ourselves too. It can be found on GitHub.
- Is there also a WordPress plugin available?
- Yes, we have a plugin for WooCommerce and Contact Form 7.
- Do you also help with integration?
- We have extensive documentation with example code. But if you get stuck, you can always contact us. We are happy to help with questions about the API or integration.
- Can I also receive an invoice?
- Yes, immediately after payment you can download an invoice. Enter your company details when creating your account so they are automatically shown on the invoice.
- Can I also pay monthly?
- By default our subscriptions are billed annually. Contact us if you would like to set up a monthly subscription.
- Can I use one subscription for multiple websites?
- Yes, with one subscription you can create multiple projects for different websites and/or applications. The total usage of all your projects is added together.
- Are there also plugins available?
- Yes, check our Plugins page for an overview of all available plugins. We offer plugins for popular platforms such as WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento and more. So you can easily integrate the Nederland Postcode API without having to write any code yourself.